Dear Members,

As many will have learnt from the recent Board minutes, at the September meeting Mr Stewart Boyce was co-opted into the position of Health & Safety Director.

For those members who do not know Stewart personally, I wanted to take this opportunity to provide background into his skills and qualifications. In a 38-year engineering career in the Royal Air Force, he was continuously involved in the assurance of Quality and Health & Safety at Work standards, subsequently holding the IOSH Managing Safety Qualification, whilst developing years of practical experience in the provision of sound Health and Safety assurances.

The Board and I look forward to working with Stewart in this role and have no doubt that he will be pivotal in ensuring the clubs high levels of Health and Safety are maintained.

Unfortunately, as a result of recent incidents, Stewart and I feel there is a need to reiterate the message portrayed in my email dated 1st September and we would like to use this forum to expand further on three key messages;

• Near misses and the reporting of such incidents.
• The use of ‘FORE’,
• The reporting of accidents.

Near Misses…

Sadly, in the past two-weeks we have experienced an increase in number of near misses on the golf course. With this in mind we feel the need to remind members that Green Staff have PRIORITY on the course AT ALL TIMES.

If a member of green staff, is working on the hole you are playing you MUST NOT play shots towards them until they have acknowledged you, stepped aside and waved you through.

Please DO NOT assume that a member of the greens team will be able to hear and respond to shouts of “FORE!” whilst they work.  They may not be able to hear due to machinery noise, their use of ear defenders and the fact that they are concentrating on the job they are doing.

THIS PRIORITY RULE IS IN PLACE TO PROTECT STAFF AGAINST THE RISK OF BEING HIT BY GOLF BALLS WHILE THEY WORK.

If you anticipate or feel that a potential risk increase is present at the time when you are playing your shot, we would urge you to exercise caution and delay playing until such risk has been reduced or nullified.

Using ‘FORE’…

It is absolutely essential for all golfers to use the verbal warning of ‘FORE’ if they hit an errant shot that could endanger another. It also important that we adopt such measures not just if we can see there is imminent danger, but also if visibility is not clear and you are not certain whether a golfer could be present where your golf ball is directed towards. For example, balls leaving the third tee in the direction of the seventh fairway.

Reporting Accidents and Near Misses…

With each experience comes a learning opportunity, and unfortunately, recent situations have allowed such opportunities to exist. If a member experiences an on-site accident or near miss, we ask that this is reported to a member of staff who will assist in recording the event. If the event involves 1 or more members / individuals, we will ask that all persons fill in a separate accident form or near-miss report.

Defibrillator

Sadly, we have all seen an increase in the number of medical emergencies unfolding, particularly on the TV at major sporting events which has seen the introduction of several protocols. Due to this rise, we feel it is appropriate to remind members of a few things regarding the defibrillators situated on-site.

The piece of equipment on-site is located in the main foyer area next to the touch screen monitor, as highlighted below. The defibrillator itself is comprehensive and will guide the user through the process. Remember, in the event of an emergency, you should dial 999 immediately before commencing any first aid.

Course Evacuation

As the summer appears to be drawing to a conclusion rather quickly, we have seen a slight increase in the number of thunderstorms that have passed through.

With this in mind, please can we conclude this member update with a reminder of the protocols in place regarding:

Course Closure: Read Here
Course Evacuation: Read Here

Thank you to all members for their continued efforts in ensuring the safety of others whilst using the club facilities. 

Mark Duncalf    |    General Manager    |    October 2022